Ligature for reed instruments



Sept. 14, 1965 R; 1.. LUYBEN LIGATURE FOR REED INSTRUMENTS Filed Sept. 9, 1964 INVENTOR. Robe/ f L. Luye/y $6 2 ORNE United States Patent 3,205,753 LIGATURE FOR REED INSTRUMENTS Robert L. Luyben, 4218 Charlotte, Kansas City, Mo. Filed Sept. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 395,196 Claims. (Cl. 84383) This invention relates to a holding means for reeds in wood-wind instruments and, more particularly, to a ligature which is specially constructed to assure optimum musical quality.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a ligature for reed instruments which retains the reed in operating position while at the same time allowing maximum vibrational movement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ligature for reed instruments in which the details of structure asure maximum tone quality, as well as the above-mentined vibrational characteristics.

The ligature of my invention surrounds the mouthpiece of a wood-wind instrument and holds the reed in operating position. The ligature is constructed of a flexible material to assure complete intimate contact with the mouthpiece. The construction is such as to protect against loss of tone quality due to adverse vibrational effects of the ligature and, therefore, assures that the reed is allowed to vibrate freely without the action of any external damping vibration.

Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ligature which holds the reed of a wood-wind instrument by contact with the reed only at special, predetermined, spaced positions.

Furthermore, it is an object of this invention to provide a ligature as aforesaid in which the pressure exerted on the reed at separate sets of contact points may be independently adjusted by the musician.

Additionally, an aim of the present invention is to provide a ligature having a notch which serves to align the reed in operating position and also allows novel reed contacting structure.

A further aim of this invention is to provide a ligature for wood-Wind instruments in which the reed is held against the mouthpiece by spaced, adjustable screws threaded through the ligature.

In the draw-ing: 7

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a ligature for reed instruments made pursuant to my present invention, shown mounted on the mouthpiece of the instrument;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ligature removed from the mouthpiece; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, except that a modified form of the instant invention is shown.

The ligature of my invention, generally designated 10, is adapted for use with a wood-wind mouthpiece 12. Mouthpiece 12 isof a tapered, substantially cylindrical configuration and has a flat facing 14 on its upper surface. A reed 24 having a flat undersurface 26 is held against facing 14 of mouthpiece 12 by the ligature 10.

Ligature is provided with a pair of spaced, split straps 30 and 32 which are in surrounding relationship to mouthpiece 12. A bight portion 34 of each of the straps 30 and 32 overlies reed 24. A bridge 36 interconnects bights 34 of the straps 30 and 32. Each bight 34 is of reduced thickness.

A pair of substantially triangularly shaped members or shoulders 40 are provided adjacent each bight portion 34, the inner faces 42 of each member 40 being arcuate to conform to the shape of the outer surface of mouthpiece 12.

A pair of spaced, reed-engaging, cylindrical sound posts or nodules 44 are located within each of the straps 30 and 32 at the bight portions 34. Posts 44 are integral with bight portions 34 and have circular perforations 46 formed therein. In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 6, perforations 46 are tapped and adapted to receive threaded adjusting screws 48, the threaded ends 49 abutting reed 24.

Straps 30 and 32 are each provided with a pair of spaced ends 50, the respective ends being interconnected by flexible bridges 52. A boss 56 is integral with each end 50 respectively. Take-up means includes a pair of thumbscrews 60 joining bosses 56 of respective straps 30 and 32.

In use, reed 24 is placed on facing 14 of mouthpiece 1,2, and ligature 10, with the screws 60 being loosened, is slipped over mouthpiece opening 16 and forced thereon until straps 30 and 32 engage the outer surface of mouthpiece 12. It will be appreciated that strap 30 has a larger circumference than strap 32 so that both straps may fit tightly on the tapered body of mouthpiece 12. A ligature 10 is being placed on mouthpiece 12, bights 34 and their associated posts 44 travel along the upper surface of reed 24.

Reed 24 is maintained in alignment when ligature 10 is being placed on mouthpiece 12 by a clearance notch 64 defined by posts 44 and inner faces 66 of members 40. When ligature 10 is in its proper position, thumbscrews 60 are tightened until the reed is firmly held in position and straps 30 and 32 are in complete intimate contact with the surface of mouthpiece 12. Thus, it may be seen that the only portions of ligature 10 that are in engagement with the surface of mouthpiece 12 are straps 30 and 32, inner faces 42, and bridges 52. Bosses 56 and thumbscrews 60, therefore, do not add any adverse vibrational effects to the reed as they are held away from the surface of mouthpiece 12 by bridges 52. It should be emphasized that straps 30 and 32, inner faces 42, and bridges 52 must be in complete intimate contact with the surface of mouthpiece 12 and, therefore, should be constructed of a flexible material such as plastic, which will yield upon tightening against the mouthpiece 12.

It is noteworthy that each pair of posts 44 of a respective strap are spaced longitudinally along its bight 34 a distance to bring the lower extremities of the posts into engagement with reed 24 adjacent the opposed longitudinal margins thereof. In this manner, when the thumbscrews 60 are tightened to firmly seat ligature 10 on mouthpiece 12, the posts 44 will prevent warping of the reed or bowing of the side margins thereof away from facing 14. Additionally, since thumbscrews 60 are independently adjustable, the force with which each pair of posts 44 engages the reed may vary, depending on operator adjustment. Thus, since the pairs of posts 44 are spaced from one another longitudinally of the reed, the bearing pressure of these two sets of contact points may be set independently from one another to assure that the undersurface 26 of the reed remains flush with facing 14 during use of the instrument.

Adverse effects on the vibrational characteristics of the reed are minimized due to the relatively small size of posts 44. Thus, no more of the surface area of the reed is under pressure contact by the ligature than neces sary to assure that the reed remains in place on the mouthpiece. Additionally, the circular perforations 46 in posts 44 permit outward transmission of sound waves created by the vibrating reed, thereby minimizing sound absorption by the ligature. This reduction in sound absorption is further aided by forming bridge 36 with as 3 small a thickness as possible. Perforations 46 also permit the extremities of posts 44 in contact with the reed to deform slightly when brought to bear thereagainst, thus assuring uniform contact.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 6, screws 48 are threaded within perforations 46 so that the musician may alter the vibrational characteristics of reed 24 if desired. In most instances screws 48 would not be utilized; however, some artists may prefer to utilize this adjustable feature as a matter of personal choice.

From the foregoing it may be appreciated that my invention provides a ligature for reed instruments in which maximum tone quality and reed vibrational characteristics are obtained through use of highly critical components of structure. Ligatures previously used have employed the idea of limited contact with the reed, but have failed to fully enhance the vibrational characteristics due to the lack of provision of suitable supporting and clamping means.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A ligature for reed instruments comprising:

a clamp having a pair of spaced, split straps, each provided with a bight and a pair of spaced ends;

take-up means interconnecting said ends; and

a pair of spaced, perforated, reed-engaging posts within each strap respectively at the bight thereof, each of said posts having an inner edge defining a line of contact with the reed upon engagement therewith.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein each of said edges is of circular configuration, whereby each line of contact is continuous.

3. A ligature for reed instruments comprising:

a clamp having a pair of spaced, split straps, each provided with a bight and a pair of spaced ends; take-up means interconnecting said ends; and

a pair of spaced, generally cylindrical, axially perforated, reed-engaging nodules within each strap respectively at the bight thereof, each of said nodules being disposed to present an inner, circular edge defining a line of contact with the reed upon engagement therewith,

said bights having apertures therethrough communicating with the perforations of respective nodules.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein said nodules comprise a yieldable material having a low memory, whereby the nodules are axially compressed upon engagement with the reed and tightening of the clamp.

5. For use with a reed instrument provided with a mouthpiece having a reed-receiving facing and curved outer surfaces contiguous to the facing, a ligature comprising:

a clamp having a pair of spaced, split straps, each provided with a bight and a pair of spaced ends; take-up means interconnecting said ends; and

a pair of spaced, generally cylindrical, perforated, reedengaging posts Within each strap respectively at the bight thereof,

each bight being provided with a pair of opposed shoulders defining a reed clearance notch therebetween and having arcuate inner faces for engaging corresponding surfaces of said mouthpiece, whereby pressure is exerted against the reed by the posts substantially axially thereof upon tightening of the clamp around the mouthpiece.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,449,868 3/23 Miller 84-383 1,562,038 11/25 Neumann 84-383 1,575,621 3/26 Chiron et al. 84-383 1,801,421 4/31 Gemeinhardt 84-383 2,791,929 5/57 Bonade 84383 2,837,003 6/58 Collis 84383 FOREIGN PATENTS 937,507 3/48 France.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LIGATURE FOR REED INSTRUMENTS COMPRISING: A CLAMP HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED, SPLIT STRAPS, EACH PROVIDED WITH A BIGHT AND A PAIR OF SPACED ENDS; TAKE-UP MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID ENDS; AND A PAIR OF SPACED, PERFORATED, REED-ENGAGING POSTS WITHIN EACH STRAP RESPECTIVELY AT THE BIGHT THEREOF, 